The Blade Itself

Logen Ninefingers, infamous barbarian, has finally run out of luck. Caught in one feud too many, he's on the verge of becoming a dead barbarian - leaving nothing behind him but bad songs, dead friends, and a lot of happy enemies. Nobleman, dashing officer, and paragon of selfishness, Captain Jezal dan Luthar has nothing more dangerous in mind than fleecing his friends at cards and dreaming of glory in the fencing circle. But war is brewing, and on the battlefields of the frozen North they fight by altogether bloodier rules.

Dawn of Wonder: The Wakening, Book 1

When a high-ranking officer gallops into the quiet Mistyvales, he brings a warning that shakes the countryfolk to their roots. But for Aedan, a scruffy young adventurer with veins full of fire and a head full of ideas, this officer is not what he seems. The events that follow propel Aedan on a journey that only the foolhardy or desperate would risk, leading him to the gates of the nation's royal academy - a whole world of secrets in itself. But this is only the beginning of his discoveries.

The Way of Kings: Book One of The Stormlight Archive

Roshar is a world of stone and storms. Uncanny tempests of incredible power sweep across the rocky terrain so frequently that they have shaped ecology and civilization alike. Animals hide in shells, trees pull in branches, and grass retracts into the soilless ground. Cities are built only where the topography offers shelter. It has been centuries since the fall of the ten consecrated orders known as the Knights Radiant, but their Shardblades and Shardplate remain: mystical swords and suits of armor.

Gardens of the Moon: The Malazan Book of the Fallen, Book 1

The Malazan Empire simmers with discontent, bled dry by interminable warfare, bitter infighting, and bloody confrontations with ancient and implacable sorcerers. Even the imperial legions, long inured to the bloodshed, yearn for some respite. Yet Empress Laseen’s rule remains absolute, enforced by her dreaded Claw assassins. For Sergeant Whiskeyjack and his squad of Bridgeburners, and for Tattersail, their lone surviving mage, the aftermath of the siege of Pale should have been a time to mourn the many dead. But Darujhistan, last of the Free Cities, yet holds out.

Arcanum Unbounded: The Cosmere Collection

An all-new Stormlight Archive novella is the crown jewel of Arcanum Unbounded: The Cosmere Collection, the first audiobook of short fiction by New York Times best-selling author Brandon Sanderson. The collection includes eight works in all. Originally published on Tor.com and other websites, or published by the author, these wonderful tales convey the expanse of the Shardworlds and tell exciting tales of adventure Sanderson fans have come to expect.

Reign of Madness: King's Dark Tidings, Book 2

Equipped with skills far beyond those of the outworlders, Rezkin has been suddenly thrust into a foreign world. The young warrior clings to his only known purpose as he continues his search for any information about his identity and the reason for his existence. While the hardened warrior scorns both dueling and tournaments, he believes some of the answers he seeks may be found at the King's Tournament, the greatest dueling championship in all of the kingdoms.

Warbreaker

Warbreaker is the story of two sisters who happen to be princesses, the God King one of them has to marry, the lesser god who doesn't like his job, and the immortal who's still trying to undo the mistakes he made hundreds of years ago. Their world is one in which those who die in glory return as gods to live confined to a pantheon in Hallandren's capital city and where a power known as BioChromatic magic is based on an essence known as breath that can be collected only one unit at a time.

The Blood Mirror

When does an empire fall? The Seven Satrapies have collapsed into four - and those are falling before the White King's armies. Gavin Guile, ex-emperor, ex-Prism, ex-galley slave, formerly the one man who might have averted war, is now lost, broken, and trapped in a prison crafted by his own hands to hold a great magical genius. But Gavin has no magic at all. Worse, in this prison Gavin may not be alone.

Free the Darkness: King's Dark Tidings, Book 1

Raised and trained in seclusion at a secret fortress on the edge of the northern wilds of the Kingdom of Ashai, a young warrior called Rezkin is unexpectedly thrust into the outworld when a terrible battle destroys all that he knows. With no understanding of his life’s purpose and armed with masterful weapons mysteriously bestowed upon him by a dead king, Rezkin must travel across Ashai to find the one man who may hold the clues to his very existence.

Cephrael's Hand: A Pattern of Shadow and Light, Book 1

In Alorin...300 years after the genocidal Adept Wars, the realm is dying, and the blessed Adept race dies with it. One man holds the secret to reverting this decline: Bjorn van Gelderan, a dangerous and enigmatic man whose shocking betrayal three centuries past earned him a traitor's brand. It is the Adept Vestal Raine D'Lacourte's mission to learn what Bjorn knows in the hope of salvaging his race. But first he'll have to find him....

The Black Prism

Gavin Guile is the Prism, the most powerful man in the world. He is high priest and emperor, a man whose power, wit, and charm are all that preserve a tenuous peace. But Prisms never last, and Guile knows exactly how long he has left to live: five years to achieve five impossible goals. But when Guile discovers he has a son, born in a far kingdom after the war that put him in power, he must decide how much he's willing to pay to protect a secret that could tear his world apart.

Elantris

Once the godlike rulers of the capital of Arelon, the inhabitans of Elantris have been imprisoned within themselves, unable to die after the city's magic failed years ago. But when a new prince falls victim to the curse, he refuses to accept his fate.

The Way of Shadows: Night Angel Trilogy, Book 1

For Durzo Blint, assassination is an art---and he is the city's most accomplished artist, his talents required from alleyway to courtly boudoir. For Azoth, survival is precarious, something you never take for granted. As a guild rat, he's grown up in the slums and learned to judge people quickly---and to take risks. Risks like apprenticing himself to Durzo Blint. But to be accepted, Azoth must turn his back on his old life and embrace a new identity and name.

The Axe and the Throne: Bounds of Redemption, Volume 1

It is a fool's errand, and Tallos knows it, but against his own better judgment and the pleading of his wife, Tallos has committed himself to a voyage north. His lifelong friend's eldest sons are said to have been taken by Northmen, a raiding people ill-reputed for their savagery. The boys are already dead, Tallos knows, and in that dark place of grim reasoning he wishes only to find their corpses quickly so he can fulfill his promise and return to his wife. Instead, he finds something far worse.

Red Rising

Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of Mars livable for future generations. Yet he spends his life willingly, knowing that his blood and sweat will one day result in a better world for his children. But Darrow and his kind have been betrayed. Soon he discovers that humanity reached the surface generations ago. Vast cities and sprawling parks spread across the planet.

The Vagrant

The Vagrant is his name. He has no other. Years have passed since humanity's destruction emerged from the Breach. Friendless and alone he walks across a desolate, war-torn landscape. A s each day passes the world tumbles further into depravity, bent and twisted by the new order, corrupted by the Usurper, the enemy, and his infernal horde. His purpose is to reach the Shining City, last bastion of the human race, and deliver the only weapon that may make a difference in the ongoing war.

Age of Myth: Book One of The Legends of the First Empire

Since time immemorial, humans have worshipped the gods they call Fhrey, truly a race apart: invincible in battle, masters of magic, and seemingly immortal. But when a god falls to a human blade, the balance of power between humans and those they thought were gods changes forever. Now only a few stand between humankind and annihilation: Raithe, reluctant to embrace his destiny as the God Killer. Suri, a young seer burdened by signs of impending doom. And Persephone, who must overcome personal tragedy to lead her people.

Best Served Cold

There have been 19 years of blood. The ruthless Grand Duke Orso is locked in a vicious struggle with the squabbling League of Eight, and between them they have bled the land white. While armies march, heads roll and cities burn, and behind the scenes bankers, priests, and older, darker powers play a deadly game to choose who will be king.

The Thousand Names

With this stunning series opener, Django Wexler leaps to the upper echelon of today’s best fantasy authors. The Thousand Names opens his Shadow Campaigns series with a tale of bloody rebellion that will reshape an empire -- and a world. Captain Marcus d’Ivoire and Winter Ihernglass see their fortunes rise under the command of military genius Janus bet Vhalnich. But Janus’ obsession with the supernatural portends a dire fate for the realm.

We Are Legion (We Are Bob): Bobiverse, Book 1

Bob Johansson has just sold his software company and is looking forward to a life of leisure. There are places to go, books to read, and movies to watch. So it's a little unfair when he gets himself killed crossing the street. Bob wakes up a century later to find that corpsicles have been declared to be without rights, and he is now the property of the state. He has been uploaded into computer hardware and is slated to be the controlling AI in an interstellar probe looking for habitable planets.

The Black Company: Chronicles of The Black Company, Book 1

Some feel the Lady, newly risen from centuries in thrall, stands between humankind and evil. Some feel she is evil itself. The hardbitten men of the Black Company take their pay and do what they must, burying their doubts with their dead - until the prophesy: The White Rose has been reborn, somewhere, to embody good once more. There must be a way for the Black Company to find her....

The Cycle of Arawn: The Complete Trilogy

The White Tree (book one): In Mallon the dark magic of the nether has been banned for centuries. Its users have been driven out or killed. Its secrets lost. But the holy book of the nethermancers has just been found by a boy named Dante. As he works to unlock the book's power, he's attacked in the street. The nethermancers aren't gone—and they want their book back. Caught between death cultists and the law, Dante fights for his life, aided by his growing skills and a brash bodyguard named Blays.

First published in 2001, American Gods became an instant classic, an intellectual and artistic benchmark from the multiple-award-winning master of innovative fiction, Neil Gaiman. Now discover the mystery and magic of American Gods in this 10th anniversary edition. Newly updated and expanded with the author's preferred text, this commemorative volume is a true celebration of a modern masterpiece by the one, the only, Neil Gaiman.

Prince of Fools: The Red Queen's War, Book 1

The Red Queen is old but the kings of the Broken Empire dread her like no other. For all her reign, she has fought the long war, contested in secret, against the powers that stand behind nations, for higher stakes than land or gold. Her greatest weapon is The Silent Sister - unseen by most and unspoken of by all. The Red Queen's grandson, Prince Jalan Kendeth - drinker, gambler, seducer of women - is one who can see The Silent Sister.

Publisher's Summary

An orphan's life is harsh---and often short---in the island city of Camorr, built on the ruins of a mysterious alien race. But born with a quick wit and a gift for thieving, Locke Lamora has dodged both death and slavery, only to fall into the hands of an eyeless priest known as Chains---a man who is neither blind nor a priest. A con artist of extraordinary talent, Chains passes his skills on to his carefully selected "family" of orphans---a group known as the Gentlemen Bastards.

Under his tutelage, Locke grows to lead the Bastards, delightedly pulling off one outrageous confidence game after another. Soon he is infamous as the Thorn of Camorr, and no wealthy noble is safe from his sting. Passing themselves off as petty thieves, the brilliant Locke and his tightly knit band of light-fingered brothers have fooled even the criminal underworld's most feared ruler, Capa Barsavi. But there is someone in the shadows more powerful---and more ambitious---than Locke has yet imagined. Known as the Gray King, he is slowly killing Capa Barsavi's most trusted men---and using Locke as a pawn in his plot to take control of Camorr's underworld.

With a bloody coup under way threatening to destroy everyone and everything that holds meaning in his mercenary life, Locke vows to beat the Gray King at his own brutal game---or die trying.

What the Critics Say

"With a world so vividly realized that it's positively tactile, and characters so richly drawn that they threaten to walk right off the page, this is one of those novels that reaches out and grabs readers." (Booklist)

Lynch is one of the best new fantasy authors and world-crafters in the business. His characters and descriptions are excellent, and the story is intriguing. Over the years I've been recommending this book (I first read it in paperback, and picked up the audiobook to loose myself in the story again) I've tried to come up with a decent description of it. I've come up with several that work, but none that do it justice. The Lies of Locke Lamora is a brilliant fantasy crime novel, set in something of an approximation of Venice, in the era/time usually associated with high fantasy. This isn't traditional high fantasy though. It will appeal to high fantasy lovers, but also to people who have never read fantasy in their lives. It is, in short, stupendous.

The reader, it should be noted, is also excellent. His voices are spot on, and his accents really add colour to the story.

A few warnings though:
It does have a healthy amount of profanity - this is a novel about crime meant for adults. This should be expected.

It's relatively violent. Again, see above.

Here's the big warning: you will learn to care about these characters and want to know what happens next. The Gentleman Bastard series is addictive. Lynch has published two of the planned seven books, and the third one is extensively delayed. So if a long wait is going to drive you mad, it might be best not to start this stupendous series.

If you follow my reviews, you know that I occasionally spend my Audible credits on audiobooks that I would not normally acquire, ones that I would normally NOT like nor want. Sometimes, it's a loss. Other times, I'm rewarded with a tremendous win - A fantastically rich and rewarding listening experience that I'll not forget for a long time, and will listen to again over the years.

And this audiobook?

A HUGE win. A seriously huge win.

It's hard to put in words the depth, strengths, story, pacing and more that Scott Lynch has woven into this literary work, but I can provide an overview.

Imagine an advanced alien race that mysteriously evacuates a planet, leaving behind vast crystal cities, with high-rising spires that light the night, with twisting alleyways and streets below, dark and forbidding, ripe for exploring mankind to occupy. Now, set the stage with a vast sprawling city that is an astounding blend of of Venice, Paris and Tuscany, with almost no technology, rife with machiavellian intrigue, and plans within plans. Finally, center the story around Locke Lamora, a young orphan sold into a thieve's caste, on his way to becoming the city's greatest and most notorious gentleman thief on an grand scale.

Also, kudos to the narrator on this work. Michael Page is definitely up to the task, with so many characters to whom he gives unique voicing, inflection and life, and keeps up with the author's pacing. VERY well done, Michael.

And this is only book ONE in the series. Yes, I've read the sequel, and it's just as good as this first book/audiobook, if not better. And YES, expect a review soon!

I have countless audiobooks from Audible and other vendors, and this is easily one of my very favorite listens, vastly entertaining, captivating, descriptive, intriguing and a page-turner, to say the very least. Note all five stars in my rating - I don't give that out very often. So, get this audiobook. You'll discover well-defined storylines that will intrigue you hour after hour in this rich and rewarding fantasy listen you should not miss.

I've been an audio book junkie for a while now and this is the first one that was so superbly narrated that I felt reading it for myself would have been an injustice. But the narration is just the tip of the iceberg-this story sweeps you away with humor and adventure and I was hooked from ten minutes in. I found myself putting in my ear buds even before I had walked out of work to escape back into Locke's world. I really cant remember being this entertained by such lovable characters in a long, long time.

I really enjoyed the Lies of Locke Lamora (and book 2 as well.) Scott Lynch's story about Locke Lamora and his rise within the Gentlemen Bastards has very dark moments all along the way, but there is always humor to keep you entertained. You never really know if Locke is one step ahead of everyone, or one step behind, but he has his own code of honor that makes you root for him as he goes from the frying pan into the fire.

Michael Page does an excellent job on the narration and really brings the world and the characters to life. A dark comedy well worth the listen!

A third of the way through this book I thought I was listening to a very well written caper story. Crafty con-man, always equal to the challenge, always one step ahead. It was fun, very well crafted, and predictable. Then the bottom fell out gloriously and Locke's world became much more complex, dark and dangerous. And infinitely more interesting!
One warning to add to those offered by other reviewers. I have always thought that one of the hallmarks of a great fantasy writer is the resolute willingness to kill off beloved characters in ways which force us to tread lightly and honestly in the worlds they create. Scott Lynch is a great fantasy writer!

I was once asked what I thought the greatest American fairytale was and I had to say Puzo's, 'The Godfather.' The venerated Don, honor among thieves, all of it is a fiction, but great fiction. It plays to the same chord as King Arthur, nobility of spirit. Scott Lynch captures the same spirit in 'The Lies of Locke Lamora." He creates an honorable underworld, where the hero thieves steal only from the undeserving rich (though they decide who and who isn't 'undeserving', in the same means knights decide who is 'good' and who isn't) It is a great pace that never slows down. It did take me a moment to get use to listening to the flashbacks that come between chapters.

Michael Page does a great read, being able to separate each character's unique personality, and there are several. But he also keeps the narrator's voice apart from the characters which is important in this book.

One last thing is to be aware of the harsh language and brutality of the book. The characters are in no way angels and Lynch captures it through word and action. It doesn't deter from the book, actually helps make it more authentic to the 'honorable thief' genre.

Posted under "The Lies of Locke Lamora" and "Red Seas Under Red Skies" (Books 1 and 2 of "Gentleman Bastards").

There are so many good and accurate reviews of both these books, I hesitate to add my 2 cents, but am so enthusiastic about them--and about the imminent release (Fall 2013) of the third book in the series, "A Republic of Thieves"--that I decided to pony up.

The writing is exquisite. It requires concentration. Scott Lynch moves masterfully between characters and time frames. The con games the protagonists play are complicated but ultimately, weirdly believable. There are scenes of surpassing beauty and events of excruciating brutality. These are not books to lull yourself to sleep with (unless you want some real nightmare images floating around your brain).

The narration by Michael Page is first-class. I've listened to a couple of other books he's narrated and always thought he was good, but for these books, he really stepped it up. Writing this good deserves time and thought in the interpretation, and Page delivers. A match made in audio heaven.

"Lies" should be read before "Red Seas," but each is complete and satisfying in itself. This is a good thing, because there have been 5 years between "Red Seas" and the forthcoming volume. Lynch's website lists a proposed 7-volume arc for this series, and he's apparently filling in with some novellas (the first of which are scheduled for publication in winter 2014). I wish Scott Lynch the best. I look forward to a long stretch of enjoying his books, especially if he can maintain the incredibly high writing and plotting standards of the first two.

I have never laughed out loud to an audio book as many times as I did for this one. It was an excellent story and had a great narrator. I plan on downloading the next book in the series as soon as it becomes available.

This book has everything I normally enjoy in a modern fantasy; morally grey protagonist, dark corners of society, action, no boring nobility worship/endless politics. So I should have loved this, but something about the story just didn't grab me. The characters are all well developed and generally interesting, but I just couldn't get emotionally attached to any of them or to the plot. I found the planning of the scams to be interesting, but the excecution didn't seem to pay off emotionally. Maybe it's because the victims were generally not bad people, sure they're rich and somewhat self-absorbed but I never felt like they needed their just deserts so to speak. There are evil villans certainly, but their not the victims of cons exactly. I think if the author wants to write about conmen, you need to feel like the marks are getting what they deserved. Also it seems like authors of modern fantasy aren't happy until they arbitrarily kill off half of the character's that you've grown attached to. After reading several books lately where this is the case it feels like a cheap ploy to make the story seem dramatic.

That being said this isn't a bad book, at no point did I feel it ventured into that dreaded "waste of a credit" territory. However, I did find myself searching audible for new audiobooks before I finished the story(with a great audiobook I don't even log into audible until it's done, and then its to search for sequels)

It might just be a case of my generation Y desensitized mentality but I didn't really notice the profanity until perusing the reviews and seeing that it bothered some people. But really, its adult modern fantasy about thieves and conmen, do you expect to hear the King's English??

One thing I should mention, I bought the sequel "Red Seas Under Red Skies" so It was good enough for me to want a second helping. And the sequel is better, much more humor mixed in with adventure, but still somewhat lacking. Lame can't use paragraphs anymore in reviews?